Istanbul: Sultanahmet Sultanahmet is the tourist heart of Istanbul, home to the Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque and Basilica Cistern and more hotels and guesthouses than I care to remember. For good reason, too. The whole neighborhood is resplendent with beautiful old architecture and street food and Istanbul highlights, and […]
Middle East
Basilica Cistern: Don’t Drink the Water
Basilica Cistern: Don’t Drink the Water For a “hidden gem” of Istanbul, the Basilica Cistern is decidedly crowded. No matter how long the line or how rainy the day, though, make time to visit. I think I lingered here longer than any other single tourist site in Istanbul. So much […]
The Spicy side of Istanbul
Istanbul’s Spice Bazaar If you ever find yourself with the immediate need to buy a restaurant kitchen’s worth of spices, Istanbul is one of the highest recommendations I can give. If you just need to indulge your inner child with sweets galore and whole mountains of Turkish Delight, even […]
Uskudar Travel Guide: Daytrippin’ from Europe to Asia
Exploring Uskudar Uskudar, on the Asian side of the Bosphorus, was described to me as a more conservative part of Istanbul. A place to keep mindful of being more respectful and even dress appropriately. That was not the feel I got from the neighborhood, though. The several times I walked […]
Ottoman City Walls of Istanbul
Istanbul’s City Walls I’m a sucker for ruins, climbing things, and particularly climbing on ruins. It only follows, then, that Istanbul’s City Walls were high on my list of priorities as soon as I caught sight of them. For the budget-conscious backpacker taking public transit into town from the airport, […]
Gold and Spice Souks: The Spicy Side of Dubai
Gold and Spice Souks of Dubai My favorite part of Dubai, just about the only part of town I’ve found that still has a feel of the old and exotic to it, is all the excellent market action. While nowhere near as chaotic as my favorite Central Asian markets, the […]
Hey there! I'm Stephen, this is my travel blog, and that's me in the poofy hat.
I'm a photographer / writer traveling since 2008, and I've been doing my best to visit amazing places.
My current focus is Central Asia, because for a hiking and camping enthusiast it's as good as it gets.